Isaiah 43:18-25 (NRSV) 18 Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. 19 I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. 20 The wild animals will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches; for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people, 21 the people whom I formed for myself so that they might declare my praise. 22 Yet you did not call upon me, O Jacob; but you have been weary of me, O Israel! 23 You have not brought me your sheep for burnt offerings, or honored me with your sacrifices. I have not burdened you with offerings, or wearied you with frankincense. 24 You have not bought me sweet cane with money, or satisfied me with the fat of your sacrifices. But you have burdened me with your sins; you have wearied me with your iniquities. 25 I, I am He who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.
What an interesting summary of the relationship between human beings, and especially those who choose to be church, and the God who formed them (us). There is a season to forget what has happened in the past, a season for the change in focus. For Israel, they were to forget the season of captivity, back when they were oppressed. How nice it would be to forget a relationship that was toxic, or a moment that we have been holding onto, those kinds of negative moments that we replay in our minds like videotape of a bad movie.
Moments, and words, define us. There was a book mentioned in the New York Times today (02 14 06) by Deborah Tannen. She is a linguist who studies the impact of conversation. The title of her book is _You’re Wearing That? Understanding Mothers and Daughters in Conversation_. Tannen is seeing that we are powerfully impacted by the words that get spoken in relationships that matter to us. I wonder, if we could choose to forget the former things. Could we forget at least enough to be free, to look forward to a new thing that God might be doing in our lives? It must be possible. God claims to “make a way in the wilderness.” I like the metaphor of the wilderness for the journey of life…it is a challenge, a place where we cannot survive on our own. We need the community. We need Providence. However, we often live under the illusion that we are managing this life on our own.
“Yet you did not call on me.” We stop talking to God. We stop being sorry for trying to run the show, or for living unloving lives. We fret…a lot! What do we give God? What does God get out of this relationship with human beings? Not much, if the truth were told. I am mystified by God’s persistent attempts to remain in a relational with us (me). If I bring a sacrifice, it is really a disguise for a blessing for me! Could I give God the ‘fat portions”? I find that funny! God likes the fat portions? What I do give God is a burden. I give my sins. I weary God. Yet He remains the one who blots out my transgressions…for his own sake. Amazing.
What is God expecting from us (me)? Praise. He is expecting his church people to be priests for the world. We are to offer our sacrifices of praise to God for the sake of the world. We are to love the world that God loves, the whole world. The world is troubled. God loves the world. He sent His son. His Son sent those who would be disciples (the church). He did not call them to keep house, but to go love the world. God is about to do a new thing in the wilderness. He is doing it through the likes of us…for the sake of the world. Will we cooperate? Will we go along with the new thing, or are we stuck in the past? I wonder.
1 comment:
Very interesting perspectives, please keep up the thoughts.
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